Yeah, right.
(Part 1)
Like ants before a thunderstorm, the rat-cunning of politicians and bureaucrats is uncannily attuned to brewing political storms. The current (1997) Retail Tenancies uprising in Victoria, Australia, is a classic case in point.
The inequities – and alleged iniquities – inflicted on small business tenants by retail landlords, especially the major shopping centres, has gradually grown into a rumble that pollies can no longer afford to ignore.
But you have to smile at their ingenuity in dealing with such irritating distractions. As usual, the first move is to create the illusion of being seen to be doing something constructive… hold an inquiry!
The next move is then to create lots of media hype about what they’re doing, so that some of the heat can be dissipated – at least until the natives realise that nothing’s actually happening. That they’ve been hoodwinked, yet again.
In late 1997, Australia saw a new business magazine, ShopFront, arrive on the scene dedicated to the cause of the small retail traders in their battle with retail landlords. In its first issue, the contents were revealing:
- The head of the United Retailers Association accused the Federal and state governments of Australia of betraying small retail tenants. The catchcry, which is firing quite a few small business people, is simple… although BIG business might fund the election coffers of the ruling Liberal Party, it can’t vote. Small business can. And it can vote the government out of office.
(This is quite true – in theory. It won’t happen, though. Not yet. See Part 2 for an explanation of why it’s too early to see this claim realised).
The Federal Minister for Small Business was next, extolling the virtues of the government’s statement on small business and retail tenancies – blissfully ignorant of the telling and spirited attack on the previous page.
The Victorian Small Business Minister beat her breast (figuratively) about how her government had bitten the bullet and formed a committee to study the issue. Its composition?
- TWO members of the state government (which is inextricably linked with BIG business – especially certain individuals and organisations involved in property development, including substantial interests in major shopping complexes)
- TWO representatives of retail landlords
- ONE representative of small business retailers.
How equitable.
And how revealing in terms of the reality involved.
By the way, the small business representative was so impressed by the whole sorry business that he’s since formed the Small Business Party of Australia in disgust.
Now… what was I saying about Government “help”?
